Dear Editor,
I have read with more than glancing interest a letter in Wednesday’s Stabroek News by Professor Ken Danns who sarcastically said that he does not recall the name of the PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate.
In another letter yesterday, I see my friend Robin Singh asking his former Professor to examine the accomplishments of Dr Irfaan Ali and even his campaign speeches to get a better understanding of his vision for all Guyanese.
However I rather got the impression from the Professor’s letter that he is questioning the obvious silence of Dr. Ali, considering that he is the PPP/C’s choice for the most important job in Guyana. Mr. Ali the man who could be our next President is in fact almost invisible through his extremely low profile at a time when Guyana needs all the assurance that its next leader will be a person we can truly count on.
By contrast, Caretaker President David Granger, a man known for few words and public appearances is now quite visible in defence of his Party’s claim to victory.
I have no doubt that Dr. Ali’s accomplishments are many and that his vision for all Guyanese are noble as stated by Mr. Singh but the lack of his presence and reassurance as President-to-be is most noticeable.
Apart from those claimed accomplishments and as far as I am aware Dr. Ali held the ministerial position of Minister of Housing and there have been some alleged controversies about his tenure.
Notwithstanding all this, to be singled out by his Party to be their Presidential Candidate indicates to me that he has somehow caught the attention of the Party’s leadership for nomination to the highest office in the land and should therefore, at this crucial time be a significant voice in defence of his pending Presidency.
It is said that Dr. Ali’s time is spent overseeing the recount process and that he is also engaged in the distribution of hampers and his party’s face mask-making programme which is all very commendable but outside of all these activities he is mostly silent as to what we can expect should he be sworn in as Guyana’s next President.
Past President Mr Bharrat Jagdeo is visibly out there as he should be as Party General Secretary while Dr. Ali ought to be shoulder to shoulder with him reassuring the Guyanese people that he is a strong and reliable force fighting for all of us at a time when we need to know that such leadership is forthcoming.
I am sure that many Guyanese, myself included would like to get a taste of the Presidential leadership qualities that has made him the PPP/C’s choice for President even if it is just to elaborate on what we can expect from the good doctor once he becomes president of all Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Bernard Ramsay
